Bad Medicine

Last year, I saw a short film called "Ascension" (and blogged about it here) that I was thoroughly impressed with.  It was written by my old friend Dave Jeffery (the original short story appeared in "Alt-Dead", which I also had a story in) and directed by James Underhill Hart and I interviewed them both for the blog (which you can read here).

Through their Venomous Little Man production company, they're planning to make "Bad Medicine", a feature film anthology and in order to raise funds, they've set up a Kickstarter (and I've pledged to it).

This is the press release.

 A chance to be a part of the UK Independent Film Industry as a project from Birmingham-based award-winning team seeks investors

Birmingham-based film company Venomous Little Man (“VLM”) are looking for investors for their next project, as they prepare to shoot and produce their next motion picture.

With filming scheduled to start in April in and around Birmingham, “Bad Medicine” was written by award-winning author Dave Jeffery, and is the follow-up to the highly successful “Ascension”, which scooped the “Best Director” gong at the 2013 Bram Stoker Film Festival for seasoned producer James Hart.

It is no coincidence that some of the actors who worked on VLM’s previous film have not hesitated to sign up again for this next thrilling project. Based on the praise that “Ascension” received, they have all jumped at the chance to be part of what promises to be another “scarily-good” film.

Both Jeffery and Hart have enlisted a stellar cast for “Bad Medicine”, which includes Barbie Wilde (writer, actress, Scream Queen and the lady Cenobite from "Hellraiser"), Paul Zenon (TV Street Magician), Derek Melling (Ascension, Inbred, The Electrician), Laurence Saunders (Ascension, Deadtime, The Seasoning House, The Village, EastEnders, Doctors),  Tom So (Casino Royale, Sherlock, Being Human), Anthony Miles (Quizmaster, Blood and Bone China) and Mark Rathbone (Ascension, Australia, Inbred, Cradle of Fear). The brilliant Jacky Fellows (“Doreen” and “6 Seconds To Die”) has also signed., along with  Jack Bailey (“It’s OK to be Ginger”, “A la carte”, and “The Well Dressed Man”.)

“Bad Medicine” will be edited by Richard O’Connor; as the prime editor on award-winning “Ascension”, O’Connor has extensive experience in lighting and stage design and an impressive history of theatre.

VLM are looking for investors to help raise the £35,000 it will cost to fund the production of the film. Investment can start from as little as £1, although bigger outlay will understandly result in greater rewards. Every person or organisation who donates will receive something for their commitment - from a special mention on the credit list of the final movie to VIP tickets to the first screenings, or an opportunity to meet the entire cast and crew at the premiere after-party.

The film is scheduled to be launched at Birmingham’s Electric Cinema in May 2015.

The Kickstarter Brief

Anyone who remembers the classic horror anthologies such as ASYLUM, with Robert Powell and Peter Cushing, or King and Romero’s CREEPSHOW will have an idea of what VLM Productions is hoping to achieve with its next project. BAD MEDICINE is a psychological horror film that contains five stories – or segments – united by a wraparound story. The film is set in a modern day mental health unit where a therapist is holding a group therapy session. Five participants each recount their story in the hope the therapist can resolve their trauma and help them to move on. But what happens if the therapist is not what he seems and has something far more sinister in mind for his patients?

The project will be shot in five phases. The first installment, Tainted Love, is expected to shoot in late April, 2014.

Your donations will help to hire professional crew and equipment, industry standard sound, make up and FX artists to ensure that what ends up on screen is of high quality and reflective of the standards an audience expects from a film on a big screen. There will also be a heavy emphasis on practical creature FX as seen in seminal movies such as AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON and THE THING.

As a project, we at VLM Productions are excited at the prospect of revisiting the classic kind of storytelling that has made shows like THE TWILIGHT ZONE, TALES FROM THE CRYPT and OUTER LIMITS such a long lasting success. We believe that quality filming making from an award winning company BAD MEDICINE will resonate with any member of the audience who wants more from their movie experience than cheap make up and violence.

For more information on how to be a part of this exciting new project, simply visit VLM’s Kickstarter project page (linked from here) or visit www.venomouslittleman.co.uk. 

VLM can also be found on Twitter and Facebook

For more information contact

James Hart (Director)                                                            Dave Jeffery (Writer)

Tel:         07795 556302                                                             Tel: 07817 863324

E: venomouslittlemanproductions@hotmail.co.uk      E: davebjeffery@btinternet.com